


I’m here (To be closer to you)

by targaryen_melodrama



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, POV Sam Wilson, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Those tags make it seem like more than it is- it’s fluff without plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-09 22:50:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20125147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/targaryen_melodrama/pseuds/targaryen_melodrama
Summary: They’ve been doing this once a year for four years now, yet Sam still feels like a kid waiting to be picked up after school.





	I’m here (To be closer to you)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Luna for the help!

They’ve been doing this once a year for four years now, yet Sam still feels like a kid waiting to be picked up after school. He’s leaning on the side of the building, waving off colleagues and clients and scrolling on his phone, and _ tries _ to look like he’s supposed to be there (which he is). But there’s something about him waiting for Bucky on the street with his lunch box in front of him that brings him back to the third grade—waving off classmates and teachers, waiting for his dad to pick him up. (There’s actually a picture of 9 year old Sam in front of school, proudly posing with his Howling Commandos lunch box, sitting on his mom’s mantel. She’d shown it to Steve and Bucky the very first time they visited—they both have copies of their own, now—and to every Avenger who’d ever stepped a foot in her home.)

Silly as it is, mentally complaining about stuff like this keeps Sam from going out of his mind with anticipation. 

Sam is very fucking close to going out of his mind with anticipation. His finger hovers over the call menu on his phone, though he knows he shouldn’t. Bucky’s on his way, he’s on the road, he should be focusing, and he’ll be there any minute now. But damn it, Sam deserves to be selfish and inconsiderate, plus God (and whatever Silicon Valley genius) had invented hands free calls for a _ reason— _

A car honk startles Sam out of his dilemma, and all at once, just like it happens in romance novels, everything but Bucky falls away. His smile is small—it often is when they’re in public—but everything important, everything Sam loves to hear but already knows, is in Bucky’s eyes. It takes a little too long for Sam to realize he could have an even better view in the car, next to Bucky, but when he does, he throws himself in.

“You were just gonna stand there and stare, huh?” Bucky grabs Sam’s hand and squeezes as soon as his seatbelt is on.

“Since when is looking at a handsome man a crime, Barnes?” Sam can barely keep the smile out of his voice. “What are we looking at for food, baby?”

“There’s leftover lasagna at home, but the special at Donny’s today is ribs, so I put in an order for later.”

“That’s good.” They’re on their way out of DC already. Sam feels his body relaxing a little more with every mile they drive. “Real good. Thank you, baby.”

“You’re welcome.” After squeezing Sam’s hand again, he adds, “You should go to sleep, sweetheart.”

“Nah,” Sam says, even as he leans his head on Bucky’s shoulder. “Wanna stare at you some more.”

Bucky rolls his eyes, but his voice is soft when he says, “You’ll have a lot of time to do that now.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I will.” Sam closes his eyes, thinks of how easy it is to rest with Bucky by his his side, and falls asleep with a smile on his face.

***

Sam listens to Bucky hum along to the radio for a little bit before he opens his eyes. He’d known they were close when the road had gone from smooth to bumpy, but decided to rest a little longer. He lifts his head off of Bucky’s shoulder, kisses Bucky’s cheek, and stretches. Once Sam feels marginally more awake, he lets his eyes take in the landscape. The sights are familiar and comforting: Sam lingers on the old trees raining down red and orange leaves, on the tall bird houses—especially the blue one, where Sam’s favorite chickadee family usually settles, and finally, on the stone path that leads to their cozy cabin.

Anticipation has turned into relief, and into another feeling Sam doesn’t have a name for yet. 

“Our order’ll be ready to pick up in about 30 minutes,” Bucky says quietly, like Sam’s still sleeping. “Do you wanna shower first and then head over there?”

“I’ll wait till after to shower. I wanna see Stella first.”

Bucky smiles as he slows the car to a stop. “She’s been excited all morning. Even dug out your old slippers, the ones Sarah got you two Christmases ago.”

Sam laughs. “The ones she chewed till they were unrecognizable?”

“She’s just real glad you’re home,” Bucky says softly.

Sam turns to properly look at Bucky, then, and finds Bucky looking at him too. Sam undoes his seat belt, lays his right hand on Bucky’s cheek and leans in to kiss him like he’s wanted to for six months now. 

The kiss doesn’t even start slow. Soon as their lips meet, the anticipation and longing rush back. They’re kissing deeply, and God, it feels—it’s just like the first taste of water after a long run, like Sam’s being revived. He never wants to stop.

Bucky stumbles around a little to get out of his seatbelt, the sound of metal on metal echoing in the car when the buckle hits his wedding band, but once he’s free, he lifts Sam up and settles him in his lap, like they’re teenagers making out in a secluded spot and not two grown married men. It doesn’t matter, none of it does, when Sam is busy pouring every moment he’s spent missing Bucky into their kiss, and holding on as he receives the same from Bucky. 

They’ve seen each other over the six months Sam has been in D.C.: Bucky comes every three weeks or so, but it’s not ideal. Stella isn’t fond of long car rides and Bucky isn’t fond of D.C. And while Sam would never complain about visits from Bucky (and Stella), it feels different to see him here, now, knowing they have way more than 48 hours together.

Their kiss tapers off, and the sweet, gentle closed-mouthed kisses they’re having now are just as perfect as the one they’d just shared. They slow down just in time to hear Stella barking, and then they’re half kissing, half laughing into each other’s mouth. 

“Time to go?”

Sam pecks Bucky’s lips one last time. “Time to go,” he agrees.

Bucky’s hand is already on the door handle, but Sam lingers one more moment, taking in Bucky’s flushed, smiling face.

One day, Sam’ll move with them permanently. He’ll transfer all his VA responsibilities to Charice, who’s more than ready to take over, especially since he doesn’t have as much on his plate since he started working six months out of the year. 

He’ll give up his Avenger ID—not that it’s getting much use either way—and give up his Board responsibilities to Pepper, who he knows is also looking to slow things down and eventually retire. Sam’ll work through the guilt that’ll inevitably creep up when he finally decides to retire with his therapist, and with Bucky. 

He’ll come live out here with Bucky and Stella, in this little town they both chose, living a calm, fulfilling life that they both love. Not everyone had survived the wars, not everyone had learned to let them go, but Sam and Bucky had. Slowly, but surely. Together.

“You know, I didn’t think you’d actually take me up on that.”

“What?” Sam realizes he’s been lost in thought, though his thumb hadn’t stopped stroking Bucky’s cheekbone.

“You’ve been staring, darling.”

Sam smiles. “Told you it’s what you get for being that good-looking.”

Bucky grins at that, his cheeks flushing slightly, and Sam’s heart speeds up at the thought of getting to see Bucky smile everyday for six months. 

God, it’s good to be home.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Closer by FKA Twigs.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, feel free to leave comments!
> 
> I am on [Tumblr](http://targaryenmelodrama.tumblr.com) if you wanna drop by!


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